The Best Black Bean Burgers
INGREDIENTS
2 (14 ounce) cans black beans, drained, rinsed, and patted dry
1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
3/4 cup finely chopped bell pepper (1/2 of a pepper)
1 cup finely chopped yellow onion (1/2 of a large onion)
3 garlic cloves, minced (about 1 Tablespoon)
1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 Tablespoon Vegan Worcestershire sauce ( vegetarian version)
pinch salt + pepper
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 325°F (163°C). Spread beans evenly onto a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes until slightly dried out.
Meanwhile, sauté olive oil, chopped pepper, onion, and garlic over medium heat until peppers and onions are soft, about 5-6 minutes. Gently blot some of the moisture out. Place in a large bowl or in a food processor with the remaining ingredients (cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, smoked paprika, bread crumbs, cheese, eggs, worcestershire, ketchup, salt, and pepper). Stir or pulse everything together, then add the black beans. Mash with a fork or pulse the mixture, leaving some larger chunks of beans.
Form into patties– about 1/3 cup of mixture in each.
To bake: Place patties on a parchment paper lined baking sheet and bake at 375°F (191°C) for 10 minutes on each side, 20 minutes total. To grill: Place patties on greased aluminum foil and grill 8 minutes on each side. Heat temperature is personal preference as all grills differ. Generally, black bean burgers should grill on medium-high heat about 350°F (177°C) – 400°F (204°C).
Serve with your favorite toppings. Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
INGREDIENTS
2 pounds orange fleshed sweet potatoes (about 3 large)
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 to 2 tablespoons spice or spice combination of your choice: chipotle powder, smoked paprika, Chinese five-spice, pumpkin pie spice, Cajun seasoning, etc.
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven and roasting pan:
Preheat oven to 450°F. (For more crispiness, preheat your oven to 500°F.) Place a roasting pan or heavy duty baking sheet (one that can take high heat) in the oven to preheat.
Peel and cut sweet potatoes into wedges:
Peel the sweet potatoes and cut off the ends. Cut the potatoes in half lengthwise and then, if they are very long, in half crosswise. Cut each piece into 1/4 to 1/2-inch thick wedges. Alternately, you can slice the peeled sweet potato into disks either with a mandoline or a sharp knife.
Toss with oil, salt, spices:
Put the sweet potatoes into a large bowl and add the oil. Mix well to combine. Sprinkle with salt and spices of your choice. Use your hands to mix well, so all pieces are coated with oil and spices
Spread out onto preheated pan:
Remove the preheated baking sheet from the oven. Carefully spread the sweet potatoes out in a single layer on the baking sheet. (Watch out, the pan is hot!)
Bake:
Bake for 15 to 25 minutes. After the first 10 minutes, remove the baking sheet from the oven and use tongs to turn over all of the sweet potato pieces.
Return to the oven and bake for another 5 to 15 minutes, or until they are well browned.
Cooking time depends on the temperature of the oven (500°F will need less cooking time than 450°F) and the size and thinness of the sweet potato wedges.
The browner they are, the crispier they will be, but there is a fine line between browned and burnt beyond edibility. Even if they get really dark, they should still be good because of the natural sugars of the sweet potatoes caramelizing. So watch carefully.
Serve:
When ready let the fries cool for 5 minutes before serving
Best Lentil Soup
INGREDIENTS
¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow or white onion, chopped
2 carrots, peeled and chopped
4 garlic cloves, pressed or minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon curry powder
½ teaspoon dried thyme
1 large can (28 ounces) diced tomatoes, lightly drained
1 cup brown or green lentils, picked over and rinsed
4 cups vegetable broth
2 cups water
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
1 cup chopped fresh collard greens or kale, tough ribs removed
1 to 2 tablespoons lemon juice (½ to 1 medium lemon), to taste
INSTRUCTIONS
Warm the olive oil in a large Dutch oven or pot over medium heat. One-fourth cup olive oil may seem like a lot, but it adds a lovely richness and heartiness to this nutritious soup.
Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped onion and carrot and cook, stirring often, until the onion has softened and is turning translucent, about 5 minutes.
Add the garlic, cumin, curry powder and thyme. Cook until fragrant while stirring constantly, about 30 seconds. Pour in the drained diced tomatoes and cook for a few more minutes, stirring often, in order to enhance their flavor.
Pour in the lentils, broth and the water. Add 1 teaspoon salt and a pinch of red pepper flakes. Season generously with freshly ground black pepper. Raise heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then partially cover the pot and reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer. Cook for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the lentils are tender but still hold their shape.
Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Securely fasten the lid, protect your hand from steam with a tea towel placed over the lid, and purée the soup until smooth. Pour the puréed soup back into the pot. (Or, use an immersion blender to blend a portion of the soup.)
Add the chopped greens and cook for 5 more minutes, or until the greens have softened to your liking. Remove the pot from the heat and stir in 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt, pepper and/or lemon juice until the flavors really sing. For spicier soup, add another pinch or two of red pepper flakes.
Serve while hot. Leftovers will keep well for about 4 days in the refrigerator, or can be frozen for several months (just defrost before serving).
Vegan Loaded Sweet Potato
INGREDIENTS
4 medium sweet potatoes
1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1 clove garlic, minced
1 bunch kale, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 can black beans, drained and rinsed
INSTRUCTIONS
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Using a fork, poke multiple holes into sweet potatoes. Place potatoes in oven and bake for about 45-60 minutes, or until tender.
In the meantime, heat olive oil over medium-high heat in medium saucepan. Add garlic and cook for 60 seconds, or until fragrant. Add kale and toss to coat. Add 1/4 cup water and cover for 3-5 minutes. Remove cover, toss kale, reduce heat to low, and cook for another 10-15 minutes, or until kale is desired texture, adding more water as needed. Season with salt and pepper to taste
Cut sweet potatoes in half lengthwise. Top with sautéed kale and beans.